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Poll on Toronto casino issue reveals a strong NIMBY factor

The most recent poll of Torontonians on the casino question suggests many supporters would become opponents if the proposed location were in their neighbourhood.

The independent Strategic Communications poll of 954 people conducted May 15 first asked: “Do you support or oppose Toronto building a waterfront casino, or are you neutral on the subject?”

Some 45 per cent opposed the waterfront option, while 32 per cent supported it. Nineteen per cent declared themselves “neutral” while 3.5 per cent were not sure. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

The automated phone poll then asked: “If a casino were slated to be opened in your neighbourhood, would you support it, oppose it, or would you be neutral?”

The notion of gambling in their own backyard pushed opposition up 13 per cent, to 58 per cent, while support slumped to 19 per cent. Twenty per cent declared themselves neutral, while 3 per cent were not sure.

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The poll also asked Torontonians whether the issue “should be decided in a city-wide referendum in which all voters can cast a ballot, or should it be decided by city hall?” Sixty-two per cent favoured a referendum, 24 per cent said city hall should decide and 14 per cent were unsure.

John Willis, Strategic Communication’s director of campaigns and research, released the information to the Star on Monday. He made public other parts of the independently conducted poll last week.

For the GTA, OLG is considering one new casino. Possible sites, it says, include the lakefront in downtown Toronto or Mississauga, as well as Markham or Richmond Hill. None of the municipalities has officially said whether it would host a casino.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said last week he favours Exhibition Place as a possible site. Downtown councillors, however, are universally opposed. The debate will start in earnest in the fall, when city staff table a report.

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